


last minute.

by moonlitswen



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/F, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Meet-Cute
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-06
Updated: 2017-04-06
Packaged: 2018-10-15 11:35:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,239
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10555644
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/moonlitswen/pseuds/moonlitswen
Summary: Regina gets stood up during a date and - tired of suffering from continuous embarrassment - gets ready to leave the restaurant. That is... until a certain, flustered blonde catches onto her heart break and decides to step in.





	

**Author's Note:**

> I just finished this after starting it ages ago. It’s a quick little ficlet, but it’s short and cute, so I figured some of Swen might want to read it!
> 
> I hope you enjoy. :)

Regina glanced down at her watch for the umpteenth time tonight. Her hands were clasped together, frustration settling in as she stared at the front entrance of the restaurant. 

 

"Excuse me, ma'am. Are you ready to order now?" The waitress smiled at her with hesitation, both aware this wasn't the first time she felt obliged to ask. 

 

"I'm sorry," Regina answered, tearing her eyes away from the door to meet eager ones looking down at her. "Just a few more minutes, please. They must be running late." 

 

"Of course," her server said, expression aching with sympathy. Sympathy turned to doubt as she walked away from the table, shooting a look at the maître d' on her way to awaiting customers. 

 

It was a look Regina didn't fail to notice.  

 

Surrendering to embarrassment as tears stung her eyes, she gathered her belongings - and her last shred of dignity - to give in and go home. With every ounce of courage it took Regina to rise from her seat, she cursed to herself, promising to never be left in such a position again.  

 

As hard as she tries giving herself a chance to be happy, it's never worth it in the end, and tonight proved just that. 

 

"I'm so sorry I'm late, babe. Traffic was insane." A flustered blonde bumped against Regina's table, shifting into the empty chair across from hers. Regina quirked a brow, eyeing her uninvited guest. The woman kept her voice low, gesturing to Regina's seat. "Hi, I'm Emma. Listen, I'll explain myself in a second, just- Please sit down first?" Emma's gaze shifted to the tables surrounding them, curious onlookers watching their every move. 

 

Regina was reluctant in her agreement, but she returned to her place at the table, keeping her eyes on Emma before noticing the faces glancing in their direction. This turn of events wasn't exactly what she had expected, and neither was this woman. 

 

"I'm sorry, do I know you?" Regina asked, grip firm on her handbag. This isn't the first time a stranger approached her for more than just a conversation.  

 

"No, but that's beside the point," Emma stated, hands folded on the table in front of her as she leaned in closer. "What's their name?" 

 

"I beg your pardon?" Regina stared at her blankly, shifting uncomfortably in her seat when Emma's gaze didn't waver. 

 

"Here's the thing," Emma began, fumbling with the napkin beneath her fingers, "I may not be the sharpest tool in the shed, but I'm almost positive the dead air hovering over this chair for the past hour was not your first choice in a date." 

 

"Why? Can't a woman enjoy dinner alone?" Regina questioned, grip loosening as she rested her handbag on the table. 

 

"Of course she can," Emma said, pausing her fumbling to smile at Regina playing with the edge of her own napkin, "but rarely do those women leave the restaurant without ordering their dinner first." 

 

"And that's your concern because…?" Regina responded, eyes intent on studying every inch of the fabric between her fingertips as if she hadn't spent all night memorizing each stitch. 

 

"Because I can let it go if she decided she wasn't hungry," Emma said, gaze drifting over the other woman's pensive demeanor, "but when her eyes stare at the front door longer than at the menu, waiting for something she knows isn't coming, it's obvious she's not okay." 

 

"You've got an awful lot of time on your hands, stalking complete strangers like that," Regina shot back, voice still timid, but her eyes finally reached Emma's. "Is that why you sat down? To swoop in and save me?" 

 

"You think I'm that morally corrupt?" Emma asked, feigning offense before returning a smug grin. "I promise I don't go around preying on broken hearts." 

 

"Could've fooled me," Regina answered, trying to hide her amusement over their banter. "I don't even know you, you could be a liar using her charm to her advantage." 

 

"Well, I did introduce myself," Emma said with a laugh. "It seems like _you're_ the stranger using her broken heart to her advantage." 

 

"Who said I had a broken heart?" Regina replied. 

 

"Are we going back to that again?" Emma sighed, realizing she wasn't backing down so easily.  

 

"We could always discuss why you were watching me like a hawk for an hour," Regina stated, aware she should take more offense from the act, but the entire restaurant must have had their eyes on her tonight. 

 

"I wasn't watching _you_ , I was trying to watch someone el-" Regina's eyes widened at the confession. "No, no, not like- I'm a bail bondsperson. I was after this guy and- It's a long story." Emma began to cringe at her own fumbling, amusement clear on Regina's face. 

 

"Don't worry, I believe you," Regina said, suppressing further laughter. "I'm sorry I distracted you, though. Shouldn't you be heading back to your... post, and... watching? Or whatever it is you do?" 

 

"It's called a stakeout," Emma said, offering another one of her smug grins. "He was a no-show, though, so I'm free to bother you now." 

 

"Oh, lucky me." Regina rolled her eyes, twisting the cloth around her fingers. As their laughter died down, both women sat in silence for another minute. Regina cycled through every idea she could think of to break the silence until she settled on an obvious choice. 

 

"Regina," she stated, albeit hesitantly. 

 

"That's her name?" Emma asked, confused as her head spun around to look at the front door. 

 

"No, _m_ _y_ name is Regina," she repeated, eyes fixated on Emma's as they softened looking back at her. 

 

"Regina," Emma said with a smile. "Well, it's nice to finally know you." 

 

"It only took you all night," Regina responded with a chuckle. "Some stalker you are." 

 

"Hey, that’s _professional_ stalker," Emma said – gaze, again, finding its focus on the cloth in her hands. 

 

"Professional Stalker: Emma... Uh..." Regina looked at her expectantly. 

 

"Swan," Emma said, placing a swan napkin in front of Regina, "Emma Swan." 

 

Regina threw her head back in laughter before picking up the wrinkled cloth to inspect it. "Professional stalker and napkin artisan, I'm impressed." 

 

"You need to find something to kill time when you're forced to stare at someone for half the night," Emma said, emptying out the contents of a sugar packet into Regina's glass of water. 

 

"I can only imagine... Thanks for asking, by the way," Regina mumbled, watching the grains float to the bottom of her glass. Emma twisted and tore at the paper between her fingertips, securing the ends of the obscure rectangle together before placing it on top of the swan's head. 

 

"My advice, Emma?" Regina asked. Emma quirked a brow as the other woman secured the paper crown in place. "Don't quit your day job." 

 

"Well," Emma began, standing up from her seat to take Regina's hand, "if it wasn't for my job, my wonderful art skills wouldn't have been here to cheer you up." 

 

"I'd say 'wonderful' is a stretch," Regina responded with a smirk, but her eyes lit up at the gesture, taking a hold of Emma's free hand – her wrinkled gift held securely in the other. 

 

"The repayment I get for trying to swoop in and save you," Emma grumbled, but Regina placed a gentle kiss on her cheek and led them out of the restaurant – both women strolling down the street, finding solace in each other's company. 


End file.
